Academic Continuity Guide

Preparing to Teach a Spring 2022 Course

In Spring 2022, the Coral Gables and Marine campuses transitioned to remote instruction for the first two weeks. This guide includes tips and suggestions for what you can expect for the first two weeks of the semester, how to facilitate live virtual class sessions in Zoom, how to provide course materials to students, and how to support students during these remote teaching weeks. View the guide.

Preparing to Teach a Fall 2021 Course

In Fall 2021, the University of Miami transitioned to in-person and on-campus classes after a period of remote and online teaching. This guide includes guidance for including remote students to ensure a smooth teaching and learning experience. View the guide.

Teaching in the General Purpose Classrooms

Many UM classrooms have been outfitted with the necessary equipment for faculty to record in-classroom lectures and support hybrid teaching, including freestanding webcams that connect with the room’s computer or your own laptop. The Office of Classroom Management has shared two important resources for faculty teaching within the General Purpose Classrooms. 

• Getting Started in the Classroom (Text Guide)
• Getting Started in the Classroom (Video Walkthrough)

Preparing to Teach a Flipped Course

Our objective with this guide is to provide guidance about how you might leverage flipped learning and its underlying principles to teach effectively in socially-distanced classrooms. We have attempted to answer some of the important questions that may arise as you attempt to implement flipped learning in this unique context. View the guide.

Preparing to Teach a Hybrid Course

To help prepare faculty members for teaching in a hybrid format (some students in-person, some attending remotely), we have prepared a teaching guide with useful guidance regarding logistial, technical, and pedagogical considerations. Written in an easy-to-follow question-and-answer format, this guide is a good starting point for faculty members seeking assistance for teaching in a hybrid format. View the guide.

Online Course Delivery Checklist –The Three Ps of Preparation

This guide outlines a checklist for preparing and delivering an online course. View the guide.

Faculty Guide to Major Course Assessments

An assessment strategy that accurately determines the extent to which students have obtained the knowledge and skills we want them to acquire is a critical part of any course design. The goal of this guide is to provide guidance on approaches to traditional assessments, alternative assessments, and academic integrity. View the guide.

Instructional Design Tips and Considerations

This two-page guide provides a brief overview of course design decisions you may need to make when preparing a course. View the guide.

The following live training sessions were conducted by the Learning Platforms and Learning Innovation and Faculty Engagement team during the Spring - Summer 2020 semester. These sessions covered how to use various technology platforms, in addition to highlighting foundational and intermediate techniques for online teaching. Access the recordings below.

Introduction to Online Teaching

This introductory session providea an overview of the basics of online teaching, including online course design strategies, syllabus considerations, basic Blackboard functionality and introducing learners to the online learning environment. View the session recording. View the session recording (login with UMID).

Fostering Community and Engagement in Online Courses

This session covers grounded strategies to create online learning environments that promote community and engagement, including communicating with students (learner-centered communication, managing virtual office hours), fostering community among students (creating meaningful discussion board activities, managing group course work and peer-feedback, approaches to providing feedback, and supporting instructor presence with media (videoconferencing, pre-recorded lectures, drawing-based instruction). View the session recording (login with UMID).

Resources for Teaching and Learning Online

This session introduces participants to the various University of Miami resources to support teaching and learning online, including support provided by the Richter Library and Camner Center, accommodations for students with disabilities, and open educational resources (OERs). View the session recording (login with UMID).

Advanced Blackboard Tools for Teaching and Learning

This session covers strategies for using advanced Blackboard tools, including assessing student learning with Tests, Surveys, and Pools; using the Discussion Board for meaningful and effective classroom discussion; promoting student reflection and collaboration with Blogs, Wikis, and Journals; and providing feedback to students with the Grade Center. View the session recording (login with UMID).

Blackboard 101

This session will focus on rapidly becoming familiar with the basic features of Blackboard Learn, including course availability, navigating the site, uploading content, previewing as a student and adding TAs or co-instructors to a course. View the session recording.

Blackboard + Zoom

This session focused on learning how to integrate Zoom into your Blackboard course and host live conferencing sessions. Topics included creating a Zoom link within your course, scheduling a meeting and editing meeting settings, inviting and managing meetings with your students using the Zoom tools. View the session recording.

Blackboard Assignments and Assessments

This session will focus on learning how to create, deploy and grade different types of assessments (assignment and tests) through Blackboard Learn. View this session recording.

Respondus Lockdown / Monitor

This session will focus on learning how to set up Respondus Monitor and LockDown Browser to proctor remote exams. View this session recording.

Office of Disability Services: Accommodating Students in Online Courses

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the University must make reasonable attempts to ensure online/remote/distance learning courses are accessible to individuals with disabilities. The Office of Disability Services has issued guidance to University of Miami faculty members regarding the accommodation request process, the types of accommodations, and engaging in communicating with students regarding their accommodations.

University of Miami Libraries

In addition to online access to the library catalog, databases, and research guides, UM libraries also provides “Ask a librarian” chat service for reference and research questions, and phone or email consultations with subject librarians. View the Online Teaching Library Resources Research Guide.

Learning Platforms Team YouTube Channel

The Learning Platforms Team maintains and updates their YouTube channel with relevant resources connected to Blackboard Learn and other learning tools.

Teaching Online Workshop

Enroll and engage with resources in the Distance Learning Institute's Teaching Online Workshop. To request access to this workshop, submit your information here.

Quick Access Links

• Academic and Business Continuity at the U
• Assessments and Academic Integrity
• Video Conferencing Tips and Suggestions for Faculty
• Home Wi-Fi FAQs and Tips